The Silence of the A
by Lady Elena Dawson
Summary: At a party in Cape May, Ezra met Alison, who made him promise her something if she disappeared. Two years later, Ezra begins to fulfill his promise: by meeting Aria. Behind her back he joins the A team and silently works against them. But then Alison contacts him from the dead, and the two, one in black and one in red, toil together to protect the ones they love.
1. Prologue: Cape May, 2008

**A/N: Tuesday's finale left me heartbroken, but I'm here to write myself through it before we know the _whole_ story. We can only assume, right? So, here's a crazy idea! (I know I have _so _many stories to update. For right now, though, I need to write my way out of this Ezria funk.)**

**Summary:** At a college party in Cape May, Ezra met Alison—scared and abandoned by her older friend Cece. Instantly she trusted her life in his hands and found a new ally. Warning him that she feared something bad might happen to her, she put faith in him to protect her friends from the same enemy...and Ezra accepted, feeling as though it was his duty to help her after sharing this new, strange connection.

Two years later, Ezra arrived in Rosewood after graduation and immediately found one of the girls Alison had begged him to save: Aria. And it wasn't long afterward that he found the elusive A team, run by an anonymous figure Ezra assumed was the man Alison was so afraid of.

While Ezra had Aria unknowingly under his wing, Alison began to contact him through unseen messages after nearly two years of being MIA. Together they planned to work against this A team yet win their trust, all for the good of the people they were trying to protect. But the world was full of surprises—and falling in love was definitely not a part of Ezra's plan.

* * *

**The Silence of the A**

**Prologue: Cape May, 2008**

Like any average beach party, the one on Cape May that summer evening was filled to the brim with rowdy college students, traces of alcohol, and greasy food. Upcoming senior Ezra Fitz awkwardly sat by his friend since freshman year, Hardy, while he chatted up some flirtatious blonde named Cece. Usually Ezra spent his spare time in his new apartment back in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, stocked to the brim with books of all kinds and his own television. If it wasn't for party boy Hardy, Ezra would never get out of the house—unless it was to spend quiet time at the library, bookstore, or coffee shop.

Sighing, Ezra's eyes wandered around the disturbing setting, his ears blocking out the equally mortifying conversations going on around him. As his vision hovered over the ocean out in the distance, the corner of his eye caught a flash of blonde on the sand far away.

"Excuse me," Ezra excused himself. Curiosity killed the cat, but Ezra couldn't halt the feline in him.

The sounds from the party diminished the farther he walked away, and the blonde became closer and closer until he saw the long, golden locks were connected to a head, and that head was connected to a young girl's body clad in a hoodie and jean shorts. By the way his heels kicked up the sand she jerked her head around at the noise.

Ezra put his hands up in defense, a boyish smile on his face. "I come in peace," he said. "You looked lonely out here."

"That's not why you're here," the girl simply responded. She gave off a mysterious aura that lured Ezra in, and he plopped down next to her.

"No," he admitted. "It's not. I'm not a big, uh…partier." He looked at her, at the soft profile of her face. "Why are you out here?"

"My friend Cece abandoned me," she scoffed. "It's not my first college party, but I'm just not in the mood tonight."

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen." She finally turned her round, blue eyes surrounded by dark lashes to him. "You?"

"Twenty-one."

Casually she pulled a photo out of her pocket and showed it to him. "These are my friends," she chirped proudly. Childishly, she pointed each of them out: "This is Emily, she's a swimmer. That's Spencer. She's the smartest out of all of us. Of course that's me in the center. Then that's Aria, the quirky one. She writes some amazing horror stories. And at the end is Hanna. She's quiet, but once you get to know her she's a goofball."

"You have more friends than I do," Ezra kidded. "The only one I have is up there talking to your friend Cece."

She rolled her eyes. "Cece and I aren't friends. We just stick together because we've been through some pretty awful things." The girl tilted her head and smiled at him. "I'm Alison."

"Ezra."

"Cool name."

"Same to yours." She giggled.

The two started to play a round of Twenty Questions, going back and forth, once in a while cracking a joke. Ezra didn't think of himself as the type to hang around and have fun with a high school student, but the world always had surprises in store.

That's when the light air turned heavy.

"I know we just met and this is really sudden, but I need to ask you something. Something important."

"Um…okay."

"I think I'm in danger," she blurted out. Ezra's jaw dropped open in shock, but nothing came out of his mouth. "And I think my friends are, too. I did something _horrible _this summer, and he's out to get me. He threatened me. And someone else is, too." Pulling out her phone, she showed him the anonymous text messages she'd been receiving since Halloween.

"Alison," Ezra stammered, eyes wide and dumbfounded. "Why didn't you report these to the police?"

Alison dropped her voice so that it was barely a whisper. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears; she was _seriously _afraid. "Because this person knows everything," she whispered. "And they'll kill me for it." Gulping, she clamped her eyes shut to block out the pain. "Now he's looking for me, too. He won't stop until he does."

"Who?" Alison didn't answer. In a more serious voice, Ezra sternly demanded, "Who wants to hurt you, Alison?"

There was a snap of a twig from the nearby forest and Alison jumped out of her skin. Hair flying as she spun back around to meet Ezra, she took his hand in hers. "I can't say," she explained rapidly. "But I can give you a hint: I call him Board Shorts. Now, that important thing I wanted to tell you about."

Ezra was flabbergasted. "There's something _more _important than what you just told me?"

"For me, yes," Alison said with a sigh and disappointed shake of her head. Sniffling, she wiped her dripping nose with her sleeve. Pity clogged Ezra's heart. "I've been terrible to people. Family, friends, peers. But they mean so, _so_ much to me. And I think they're in danger. So I want you to promise me something."

Suddenly, Ezra was filled with a sense of duty he's never felt before. Obligation hadn't come up much in his adult life yet. There was something about Alison, though—the fear radiating off her cloudy, blue eyes—that made him agree. "I promise."

A small, relieved smile crept up one corner of her lip. "Thank you," she said. Looking both ways, she leaned forward so that their conversation would be hard to eavesdrop on. "Now listen carefully. Board Shorts and A are after me. This A person, though, is also after my friends. I made the mistake of telling Board Shorts about A, too. I'm afraid he'll use that information against us. Are you following?"

The information sluggishly processed in Ezra's brain, but overall he understood. "Yes, I think so."

"Good." Her next words slapped Ezra in the face. "If something happens to me, I want you to protect my friends."

"W-what?" What kind of task _was _this? He was majoring in English and education, not for the police force! He'd make a terrible protector, especially since he was so afraid already.

"I need you to protect my friends!" she pleaded. "A is out to get them, and it won't be long until Board Shorts is too. _Please_. You go to Hollis, right? Then you already live so close to Rosewood. I just need you to follow them, maybe befriend them. If they start acting strange or suspicious, get involved and alpha-male. They're both wusses anyway."

"B-but," Ezra continued to stutter, "what about you?"

"Don't worry about me," Alison begged. "It's too late for me. Now, please…just promise me, okay?" Glancing down at the picture in her lap, she handed it to him. "Take this."

Ezra studied the girls: the tan-skinned one, the other blonde one, the one with the nerdy glasses, the one with the pink streaks in her hair. Alison stood proudly and confidently in the middle. "I can't take this from you."

"I don't need it. Everything I have is in my head." Her blue eyes pored into his. "Can you do this for me? I know we just met, but I don't want my friends to get hurt—"

"Yes," Ezra interrupted before she could get another word out. "I'll help you."

A tear slid down her soft cheek, glistening in the moonlight. "I don't know how to thank you," she cried. Then she wiped it away with the back of her hand. "Why do you care?"

"My whole life I've been protected," Ezra explained to his best ability. "No one ever had to ask me for help. So, I want to help you." He didn't mention the fact he felt a weird connection to her he's never had before.

"Oh," she replied. "Well…that's it, then. There's nothing really left to say." She got up off the sand and brushed grains off her jeans.

"Wait," Ezra blurted out. "Where are you going?"

She grinned, and she looked peaceful under the light of the moon. "To find Cece."

"Who's going to help you?" he asked, concerned.

"I don't need help," she said, shrugging off his distress. "I'll contact you." With that, she strutted away, blonde curls dancing along with the ocean waves.

Once she was a golden speck in the distance, Ezra turned his attention back to the picture, his eyes focusing on the girl with the pink streaks and sparkling hazel eyes. His index finger traced the sharp corner, still trying to process the startling confidential information _he _of all people had been dealt with.

Standing, he unconsciously followed the lights back up to the party, though his soul felt completely detached from his body.

A couple months later, newspapers reported that Alison went missing, and as everyone grieved over the disappearance of a young girl, a twinge of hope remained in Ezra's stomach.

A year later, he still hadn't heard from her. By then he'd nearly forgotten his promise as he hurried to graduate and apply for his first teaching job at Rosewood High School. He spent that summer free from his studies, partying with friends and spending quiet time with his family.

Passing by the college bar Snookers at the end of that Labor Day afternoon, he saw her.

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**Who'd he see? Aria? Alison? Someone else entirely? You can probably guess. ;)**


	2. Chapter 1: The First Meeting

**A/N: The reception so far for this story has been amazing! My fangirl heart has mended a bit now that Tuesday has passed, but I still don't want to think of the writers ruining Ezra's character.**

**Crimson Mooon: That was my reaction exactly. Except I didn't scream because I kind of expected it, but my eyes did tear up a bit. I knew of the Ezra-is-A theory, but I never actually believed the writers would go through with it!**

**Guest: I can't see him as A either. Seeing Ian goof off on set just makes me picture all the takes they had to do for that serious scene at the end of the finale. I know I shouldn't compare the actors to the characters, but...**

**JMG-chemnerd: If I had to bet, I'd say that Board Shorts and A are the same person, but that person isn't Ezra. I guess that's just because Ezra is like me in some ways that it disturbs me greatly to think of him as the older guy Ali was _romantically _seeing. Plus, Ezra in board shorts? He doesn't seem like the beach type. But as much as I can't see him as A, I still wouldn't be surprised if he has something to do with the team. I'm glad you're excited for this story. :) When readers are excited, I am, too!**

**The romance begins in this chapter, guys. And Ezria's anniversary is tomorrow, so let's celebrate!**

* * *

**The Silence of the A**

**Part 1: Behind Season One**

**Chapter 1: The First Meeting**

Though the pink hair was obviously out of the picture, Ezra could have recognized her face from miles away. The delicate round face, the wide hazel eyes, the bow-shaped lips. It was definitely one of Alison's friends.

Wracking his brain for her name (it'd been a while), Ezra stepped into the bar with _Ulysses _in his hand, sat down, and ordered a scotch. The girl in the form-fitting dress glanced and smiled quickly, like any polite gesture to a stranger, then continued staring at her hands, at the half-eaten food on her plate, at the walls, at anything but him. While he cleared his throat, trying to act casual, and opened his book, he kept glimpsing at her from the corner of his left blue eye.

When his scotch came, he chugged down half of it and continued his charade of a regular bystander. The plate that once held the vegetarian sandwich the girl had anxiously munched on was cleared away, and now she was left with one less thing to gawk at. Licking his lips, Ezra took a calm sip of his drink and blinked at the teenage girl, whose eyes were trained on the missing person's poster on the Snookers' bulletin board.

Once Ezra saw this, his heart dropped to below his feet and plopped down on the sticky bar floor. On it was a picture of Alison, the young girl who'd entrusted him with something insane, along with her height, hair and eye color, and current age.

Alison's friend finally pried her gaze away from the poster and her eyes fell to her lap. Ezra could practically see the lump in her throat, constricting her air and reminding her, yet again, that her friend was gone.

And without a single thought flying through his head the first words sputtered out of Ezra's mouth: "You all right down there?"

Startled, the girl met his eyes and grinned, again like she would to a complete stranger. "I'm a bit jetlagged. I just got back from Europe."

Like that, Ezra was sucked in. He asked her where, she said Iceland. For a second he was worried she would come up with an excuse to leave, but she stayed despite the abruptness and awkwardness of the conversation.

It just so happened that he'd been to that country, told her about how amazing the capital was, and she, in a change of subject, asked him about his education. And Ezra, boastful and proud as he was, told her he'd graduated from Hollis with a degree in English literature and a teaching license. She didn't bother wondering where he was going to teach. Soon they were talking about writing, and while she blabbed about her personal works the scared image of Alison drifted into his mind and he thought, _I have to know this girl._

He didn't know what had gotten into him, but he was flirting with this sixteen-year-old. Like, _serious_ flirting. Acting like he had no idea who she was, he pretended to think she was in college and brought up the major he knew she didn't possess. He fawned over her passion for writing and travel and music, and passed the point of no return when he said he wanted to know more about her.

"Yeah." That bright, amazing smile reappeared on her young face, and Ezra's heart did a little flip no woman had ever achieved on doing. "I'd like to know more about you too."

Aria. That was the girl's name. He knew it was somewhere in that mushy brain of his. She was the creative one, the artsy one. The one who owned dozens of journals, filled to the brim with flowing, heart-aching words. The one out of four who'd lost someone dear to her for reasons unknown. When she got lost in a spiel about the time she'd first read Shakespeare, Ezra was swept up by the passion in her voice. In a way, she was the identical female version of himself, a person he'd struggled to find.

Politely he offered a sip of his drink, and she took it tentatively, but with a burning confidence in her green-brown eyes. So she was underage, but he didn't buy her a keg stand. Returning the glass to him with a smack of her lips, it was obvious she'd tasted alcohol once or twice before that afternoon. "That mixes well with that sandwich."

"You don't eat meat?" he questioned, remembering her choice of the menu—and then hoping that didn't make him a stalker.

"Nope," Aria replied. "Not when my mom told me what it was. I don't think a kid had ever been so mortified!" Her hand slid across the wood table and tenderly touched Ezra's glass, her fingers dancing over his skin and sending electric sparks through his own fingertips. She bit her lip uncertainly. "Mind if I have another…?"

"No. Here, you can finish it. It's not much anyway." A devious smirk on her expression, she downed the last bit and sighed. It hadn't passed Ezra that she could have been trying to drown her sorrows in scotch until she brought the glass down from her lips and met his eyes.

There was a sadness in them, something Ezra couldn't put his finger on. Melancholy? Pain? Guilt? It was only there for a second before it was gone.

"Listen, I have to go to the bathroom," she proclaimed while sliding off her seat. Stumbling thoughtlessly, Ezra scooted off his chair and stood almost a foot above her. "Now?" he asked, awkwardly shoving his hands in his jean pockets.

"Yeah," she whispered, pulling her lips into her mouth. The two stared at each other and said nothing, just enjoyed the moment. "Why? Do you want to…come?"

A blow that reminded Ezra of a smack to the face rushed on his cheeks, which started burning an awful red. However, he pushed aside the shock from her assumption and replaced it with a boyish smile. "Sure."

Keeping her eyes on him, she took his hand and he followed her like an obedient dog, supporting her as she lifted herself up on the bathroom counter and wrapped her arms around his neck, he obsequious to her every need. She played with the small hairs on the back of his neck, her big, glowing eyes blinking at him as though waiting for something to happen.

Instinctually Aria closed the distance between them and touched her lips with his. Unlike most first kisses that were short and sweet, this one was long and passionate. The first to pull away, Ezra was aware that he'd forgotten about Ali and was lusting for more of just…Aria. It was like his struggling past, crazy task, and the age difference between him and this girl had just disappeared with each electric spark that flew.

As their time in the bathroom drew out longer than necessary, Aria pulled her head away and pressed her forehead against Ezra's, both of their faces flushed. "I have to go," she whispered, a slight amount of disappointment in her voice.

Instead of answering, Ezra affectionately rubbed his nose with hers and kissed her again, this time as more of a reminder that the last hour or two had happened. As much as he hated the night for ending, he had to go, too; his first job started tomorrow morning at eight A.M. sharp. "Okay." It was more of a puff of air than an enunciated word.

Like a gentleman Ezra took her waist and assisted her off the counter, exiting the bathroom and bursting into a fit of laughter when the bartender sent them questioning looks from his spot at the shelf of bottles. At the door Aria asked him for his phone and typed in her number, and he did the same with hers. The two parted ways, and Ezra couldn't stop staring at her in his own drifting, blissful world as she got into her car, waved, and drove away.

Even though she was gone, Ezra found himself still standing at the front of Snookers, just thinking of this girl, this Aria, who'd set his heart on fire. And as much as he looked down upon himself for saying it, he knew he wouldn't have met her if it hadn't been for Alison.

…

The next morning came in a flurry of coffee, preparation, and a changing of ties after the first one was stained by a sloshing mug. Beads of sweat popped up on Ezra's palms. It was his first day of his first career and he was ready to face it like an adult.

Last night Aria had texted him an excerpt of a story she'd written, one about a cat that was "found but lost," and they went back and forth until ten when she simply replied good night and good luck with a smiley face. It was so perfect, what they had so far.

Though the thought hadn't occurred to him last night, the reason he was twice as nervous was because the possibility of Aria being in his class had dawned on him and smashed his hope to red, raw, bloody bits. It was like ripping off the bandage and feeling the aftermath of the hair that'd been pulled out of the follicle, the skin burning from being roughly tugged. Now that's how Ezra's heart felt.

A bubble of calmness encased Ezra as he walked into the high school, though he was freaking out inside. His first class was approaching, and he wasn't sure if he wanted it to come. The bell rang and the hallways were pretty much cleared out, and Ezra was able to find his classroom without difficulty. Inhaling for encouragement, he opened the door and didn't make any eye contact with the students. Instead, he let them chat and settle in by writing his name—Mr. Fitz—on the board. It was official. This was actually happening.

Turning around, Ezra plastered a smile on his face—one that was obviously ruined by the sight of a very pretty girl a few seats down, a row from the windows. "Holy crap," he breathed out before even realizing he'd said it. This was definitely _not _how he expected his new life in Rosewood to commence.

Feeling the sizzling stares of her classmates, Aria looked up and froze when she saw Ezra—the guy whose glass she'd drank from, the one who had his hands all over her back the other night—standing as her _teacher _at the front of the room, rocking a sweater vest. It just couldn't process in her head.

Her phone rang and Ezra was immediately alarmed by the sound, though he tried not to show it. He remembered the anonymous texts Alison had showed him; was this starting for Aria now? In front of and next to Aria were three girls Ezra also recognized as Alison's other friends. What better way to stalk them than to be their oblivious English teacher?

Aria apologized, and, ignoring all feelings that he knew her, Ezra shrugged off the lead heavy air and smiled awkwardly. After introducing himself, he followed his lesson as planned. Once the bell rang, Ezra watched Aria gather her things and scatter out like some frightened animal. Sighing, he wished she wasn't afraid, especially if it was of him and the laws that separated them.

A part of him wasn't ready to let go of her, yet the other part rejected her the following day, and it left him wounded. Not only was he her teacher, but he knew Alison and Aria had no clue. She just thought the fling they had was something more, something spontaneous, when he had entered that bar with a goal in mind.

"We just can't," he had said, abandoning her in that classroom. Though it was supposed to be the end of something, it didn't feel as official as it was supposed to be.

That night, while Ezra was slouched on his couch watching the evening news, he thought of Aria. Of how much he wanted her as more than a friend, yet how wrong it would be in their authority-minor situation. How much he wanted to feel her warm palm against his own, comforting him, and in return he would comfort her. One afternoon and he was ready to risk four years of schooling for a girl—woman—he'd met at a bar.

He didn't want to deny her. No, he _couldn't _deny her. As wrong as it looked, he couldn't contain the feeling that made it so _right._

At that moment, a name he knew very well reiterated off the screen: Alison DiLaurentis. An ambulance gave off its chilling red and blue, circling light and a newscaster stood in front of an unfamiliar house Ezra assumed was Alison's.

Then the breath caught in his throat when he saw the gurney…with the body bag lying lifelessly on top.

It couldn't be true.

His phone rang, making him jump in surprise. For a swelling moment of hope he thought it was Aria, but the ID was unknown. Curious, he opened it, and paled from what he read.

_I'm still here, and I think I'm on to something. Meet me in New York on Sept. 28, after homecoming. I'll be the one in the red coat. –A_

Wait, Ezra thought. If Alison was alive…

Then who was dead?


	3. Chapter 2: Rising Conflictions

**Thanks again so much for your reviews! Keep them coming!**

**JMG-chemnerd:** Yeah, I like Alison too, mainly because she's so dynamic and mysterious. It's so much fun to write her in this other story I'm writing where she never died!

** . .Leddie:** Happy early birthday! :)

**infinitydreamzz:** Really? That's so cool! I listen to that song occassionally when I have the Ezria feels, as they say. I'm flattered by your comments!

**Mia:** I will kindly make your Tuesdays meaningful.

**Brittana4ever:** Sorry this chapter doesn't really add much to the suspense or mystery. And no, so far I haven't planned for there to be a sequel. I was planning it as a standalone. I'll try to skip around the seasons to reach season 4 faster, mainly because I don't like recapping what's already been written in the script. Instead I'll be adding some of my own made-up Ezria moments.

**This chapter's mainly a filler to round out Ezra and Aria's characters. I also didn't have time to edit it, so excused repetitive phrases or words. Next chapter the action will start! However, there's bad news: School has begun and I won't have that much time to update. I'll attempt to write during the week, but I probably won't have time until the weekends.**

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**The Silence of the A**

**Part 1: Behind Season One**

**Chapter 2: Rising Conflictions**

There was no going back now.

As much as Ezra wanted to forget Aria, to save her the lies and heartache, he couldn't stay away from her. So at Alison's funeral, he kissed her.

He knew her best friend was alive and he kissed her.

It was spur of the moment, really. She was standing so forlornly up on the steps of the church, and he couldn't help but notice the conflict battling in her expressive eyes. He could have told her that her friend was all right, that it was someone else they'd found, but then that would mean explaining his short past with Alison. If he was going to keep her safe, she couldn't know a single thing.

Hurting her that way in the classroom was wrong of him. He knew that too well. Once he stepped into her personal bubble, an icy cold made his hair stand up on end. If it was any colder, he would have died of frostbite.

After apologizing, she left a lingering kiss on his cheek. She said so herself; she wouldn't want to do anything that would get him in trouble. Yet something tugged at his heart, blocked the sensible part of his brain that strictly reminded him of the law, that she was still a teenager, and he couldn't break the connection.

Grabbing for her elbow, he spun her around and took her in his arms. He was just as surprised as she was. Eventually she fell into the passionate kiss, until her eyes opened wide and clear, silently passing along a message that said, "We can't do this." She leaned back on her heels and brushed back his overgrown hair. Later Ezra would reflect and slap himself for being so dumbfounded, so stupid, for just standing there while she walked away, possibly for the final time.

But it wasn't.

First she tried to transfer out of his class, but that didn't work. The next time occurred at an awkward place.

It just so happened him and Aria shared the same taste for movies. That was how he first met her mother, Ella, at the Rosewood cinema at a showing for the Clark Gable classic _It Happened One Night_. (To Ezra, Clark's 1934 comedy was much better than his later infamous drama _Gone With the Wind._) Most teenagers probably didn't even know who Clark Gable was.

But Aria did. And she obviously loved the timeless black-and-white movie. Which made falling out of possible love with her even more difficult.

Ezra didn't remember much from that day beside the heavy awkwardness that weighed on both him and Aria with her mother around. That, and the way his skin tingled when his hand brushed against hers as the old piano music chimed on the screen. In fact, him and Aria dramatized the situation so much, he was surprised Ella didn't notice any kind of tension at all.

That wasn't the end of his countless encounters with Aria, though. It was like God was sending him signs to go after her and protect her, but his logical senses were tugging him back, scolding him, saying, "She's just a child, Ezra. And you're an adult."

An adult. Ezra sure didn't feel that way. Yes, he was most likely (definitely) more mature than Aria was, but he saw some pretty childish "adults" in college. And Aria didn't act like a teenager…sometimes. From what little he's seen of her. Emphasis on the _little_. Yet, for such a short time, why was his heart telling differently than his brain?

The day was cold and dreary, and a drizzle of rain was pelting his car as he drove down the street to clear his racing mind. Again he'd been bombarded with endless conflictions of Aria, while having a clandestine texting relationship with Alison on the side—if she was _even _Alison. They'd planned everything out and now they were just chatting casually about normal things. When she asked if he had a girlfriend, he just said it was complicated, never mentioning the fact he'd made out with one of her best friends.

Just as he was passing the Brew, he saw a familiar back face him on the sidewalk. The hair, the thin waist, the legs… His eyes must have been playing tricks on him. Slowing down, he bent across the passenger seat, one hand still on the wheel, and glanced at the woman's face. Yup, he was right: it was Aria.

And she looked so lost and wet, like a drowned puppy. Ezra hated his comparison, but it wasn't what made him pull aside and kick open the door. He didn't even know what he was doing until he'd done it. Inviting him into his car like that… He mentally slapped himself across the face.

Splattering raindrops over the dashboard and leather seat, Aria flung herself into his car and slammed the door shut. The rising tension was hard to ignore, but Ezra managed—for a minute, at least. He felt her lost, lustful eyes on him those whole whopping sixty seconds, and he found himself stopping at an empty intersection to talk. That was the plan…until he faced her and was met by her powerful lips on his.

Nothing had ever felt so right. She was shivering from more than just the numb weather, and Ezra took her freezing hands in his warmed ones, loving the way his large fingers wrapped around her tiny delicate ones. It was almost like he was protecting her, their hands clasped like that. Lovingly he held her tight, and for the first time in his short life he understood the feeling of never wanting to let go of a person.

Eventually she pulled away slightly, their foreheads still touching, and kept her hands in his. "I'm sorry," she breathed, her eyes wide with some unknown emotion. "I shouldn't have done that."

Ezra couldn't help himself from smiling at the naïve look she was giving him, as though she was a lot younger than she actually was and was acting like an impulsive child. He again glanced down at her hand and squeezed it gently, offering, "Let me drive you home." Weakly she turned up one corner of her lip, still hesitant, and nodded her head in acceptance.

Starting up the car, he didn't dare move his hand from hers and used the free one to control the wheel. "Where do you live?" he asked, for he was deprived of basic info.

It was a question Aria found a little unsettling. Here she was, with this _amazing _guy, and she couldn't help but think of how _wrong _it all seemed. She swore she would never repeat her father's mistakes, but wasn't that what she was doing right now? It felt like a low move on her part. And now she was going to give him her home address, which was as big a step as moving in together for Aria.

Or maybe that was just because the thought of him knowing where she lived, to throw pebbles at her window so she could sneak out, as cliché and book-worthy that was, was serious for her _teacher_.

Once Ezra pulled up to her house, he still had a contagious smile on his face. Aria noticed it, too, and felt the corners of her mouth tug upwards. Moral as she was, she couldn't help but think, _How could something so wrong feel so _right_?_

Ezra halted in front of her driveway and turned to Aria, who was staring out the windshield with a cloudy mist in front of her eyes. "We're here," he laughed at her obliviousness, and she jumped out of her skin before a red heat flushed her neck and cheeks.

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry," she mumbled in a second, flustered. Though she was still in her own dream world, she somehow opened the door with an audible _click. _Awkwardly she stayed in her seat with her hand placed on the handle. "Thanks for driving me." _And that kiss was phenomenal._

Ezra's heart crashed down from a slight bit of something called disappointment. "You're welcome."

Aria pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear with the one hand that wasn't holding her now-cold coffee. "See you in school."

"Yeah," he responded as she slammed the door in his face and ran up her walkway, soaked to the bone. He stared at her until her body was hidden by the closed door. "See you in school."

…

The awkward weekend wasn't over. Because on Sunday, when Ezra was taking a refreshing bike ride to soothe his racing mind and heart, he saw her.

She was with her friends, of course, so he couldn't stop and say hi. Even if he could, he wouldn't have; to see all those girls mourning the loss of a friend who wasn't really dead… Hiding all this information was killing him in a figurative sense because he could easily put their minds to rest. How many of them had stayed up at late into the night, gnawing their brains out because they didn't know what had happened? How many panic attacks had Aria suffered through? And the paranoia that someone might be out to get them because Alison had been forcibly removed from their life by an unknown enemy?

That's what made riding by them so difficult—_knowing_ but not being able to tell them. That, and the fact he'd locked lips on more than one occasion with the short, pretty brunette.

And in school on Monday, Aria confronted him about it! Something about her friends thinking he had nice legs. It was also the perfect opportunity to invite her over for dinner. Not that that went over so well.

It started off with Ezra preparing dinner, his stomach only partially churning because he was afraid Aria might find something that would connect him with Alison. But she just stood around and studied his things, taking a special interest in his typewriter.

Then he brought up her home situation, with her dad and how she was still dealing with his infidelity from a year ago. It was just the other night when she'd come to him, and he'd held her as she cried out her fears and worries.

That was how Aria knew he would be there for her. Saying no was no longer an option.

Bringing up her secretive dad and oblivious mother, though, was _not _a good idea. A full-blown argument had ensued, and Ezra had watched her storm out in anger. For the rest of the evening he fumed and called himself stupid, ached to pick up his phone and text Alison—if it really was her—about his relationship woes. She did know Aria better, didn't she? But he couldn't tell her he was taking a special interest in her friend. That was like telling a dad you were dating his daughter. Best friends to the point of sisters reacted the same way.

Right as he was on to pouring his third glass of scotch, his phone vibrated. Of course, it was a text from Alison.

_How's it going?_

Ezra's fingers hovered over the keyboard uncertainly. _Not so great, _he typed out thoughtlessly.

_What's wrong?_ Another text came in insantly after that one. _Did you find him?_

"Him." As in Board Shorts. _No_, Ezra said. _I haven't found a way to contact this A person, but they're definitely bothering your friends. _He assumed Aria and her friends' paranoid expressions were from their new stalker. Even in their heated kiss, Ezra still had felt the tension in Aria's shoulders.

_Well, we need to find them._

It was late and Ezra was already half-drunk and extremely upset. He needed to get to sleep.

_I know. I'll figure it out somehow._

…

Tuesday arrived, and not only was Ezra still angry with himself, but he was hung-over.

Pursuing a fight with Aria during a class discussion was unprofessional and definite rose some questions from the students, but she was someone he was finding he could fight with without the fear of losing her.

When class ended and the school day wrapped up, Ezra sighed as he packed up his things and headed home. As soon as he got through the door he changed and turned on his computer, logging on to his Facebook and opening up Aria's page.

For a while he just stared at her profile picture. He didn't know for how long or why, but she just looked so…happy. Did he make her smile like that? Not with recent events.

Next he scrolled through her posts and found one of her with a picture of Alison. _RIP Ali, _the caption read. _You were a really great friend._

Ezra's heart sunk further into his chest. He couldn't help but feel that by fighting to be with Aria, he was hurting her at the same time.

Suddenly there came a knock at his door, and he closed his laptop and answered it. In stormed no other than Aria, and as she told him off he started to notice how adorable she was when she was angry.

"You're right," he agreed with her flying criticism.

She blinked her huge hazel eyes, bewildered. "I-I am?"

"I really don't know anything you." With that, he closed the door and met her speechless face. Clearing his throat nervously, he reached out for her hand and caressed the soft back of it with his thumb. "And I want to know you, Aria."

Aria's previous rage melted away and was replaced by a gooey, sticky glob of something pleasurable. "You do?" _Even if that doesn't mean mentioning A?_

"Yes," he whispered, brushing her hair behind her ear so he could get a better look at her beaming face. "I want to know everything. You're quirks, your hobbies, your embarrassing moments." She scoffed and glanced down at the floor in humiliation, and he took her chin in his hand and tilted it up. "Can you do that for me?" _Even if it doesn't mean telling you what I know about Alison?_

Achingly Aria wanted to kiss him, but she found herself controlling her impulses. "Yeah," she exhaled in a puff of air. "As long as I get to know you."

As Ezra pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, he couldn't ignore the guilt. And unknowingly, Aria felt the same.

* * *

**Yeah, I know, it's basically season 1 episodes 2-4. But I promise I'll be adding plenty of un-aired stuff that I've created!**


	4. Chapter 3: Seeing Dead People

**A/N: Here it is, the end of the long anticipated wait! If you hadn't noticed, I've been a bit AWOL, but last week I posted a depressing Ezria one-shot just because my mind was morbid that day. I can promise that the next chapter will be a lot longer than this one (and this one's long enough!) and have both Ezria AND A mystery! Once I write this Spoby wedding for my friend, I'll start working on the next chapter for "Till Truth Do Us Part." I'll begin the next chapter for this story, too. Basically, after a month of hiatus, I am now devouring fanfiction. **

**Well, here's the chapter! It might be a bit complicated and there's a plot twist at the end, but isn't that what PLL is all about?**

* * *

**The Silence of the A**

**Part 1: Behind Season One**

**Chapter 3: Seeing Dead People**

Of course, their perfect reunion couldn't last forever—because this A person knew about Ezra's scandalous relationship, and was willing to tell everyone, like the police, about it.

He'd just been grading, obviously, while ignoring Alison's texts. Lately she had been blabbing about how bored she was a lot of the time, having been on the run for over a year. Ezra wanted to ask her how she did it, but at the same time he didn't want to be rude. The girl had been threatened by _two _people, for God's sake, and everyone believed she was dead.

Anyway, he was grading when he heard a phone vibrate again and again and again. Eventually Ezra began his search for it, finding Aria's cell squashed in between his couch cushions. The good boyfriend he was, he set it aside next to his typewriter to return it later—

Wait a minute. He had Aria's phone…the exact phone that was receiving anonymous texts from A. Biting his lip, he fiddled with the keys. He didn't want to invade her personal texts, but this was _A _she was dealing with. And he had to know exactly what this person was doing.

It turned out that every text was constructed of blackmail and threats. And worse yet, this A _knew_ who he was. _How? _He'd just started teaching, and him and Aria weren't displaying anything romantic in public since the bar. Whoever this person was, they were definitely stalker material.

Then it dawned on Ezra: Aria would know that he'd looked through her phone. As much as he didn't want to confront her about A, he had to. So he made up a story: it kept ringing, he thought it was an emergency, and so he took a peek. The knot in his stomach tightened as he reread the recent A text, something about normal students doing their homework and Aria doing her teacher.

Yeah, this A was going down as soon as Ezra got his hands around their neck.

…

Breaking up with Aria was extreme, but at least now Ezra knew that they both were safe. The farther away A was from Ezra's personal life, the more likely he'll be able to sneak in and play the part of a spy. And if he was lucky, he might even find a spot on the team.

He still had to protect Aria, though—and her friends. To do that, he must meet with Alison and collect what she knows, despite the fact he wasn't a certified agent.

Today was homecoming, and Ezra had his bags packed for a few-day stay in New York. He still had no idea what his excuse was going to be, but for one thing he really did need to clear his head and think rationally about the Aria situation. However, right now he just had to focus on chaperoning the cheesy dance, driving to the hotel, and meeting with Alison at a local Starbucks.

School dances were never his thing in high school. So having to watch kids have fun and chat with their friends reminded Ezra of the days he spent at home alone, writing in his room—something him and Aria had in common. The other night Aria had told him that when she was younger she didn't have any friends until Alison—

Ezra's heart sunk. Aria.

She was so hurt when he slammed the door in her face. He had stammered and sweated, of course, but she had no idea it was all an act. What hurt the most, though, was the ache in her voice—how much she _wanted t_o tell him, but how she couldn't without getting in serious trouble. She was protecting him just as much as he was protecting her.

Eventually, after a few awkward run-ins with Aria where he had to pretend like he was mad, Ezra left the dance with a broken heart. It was shattered for silly, teenage reasons, too. Again Ezra felt like he was in high school and seeing that amazing girl have the time of her life with another guy. Except this time, it wasn't an unrequited crush at all: it was full-blown love affair.

Having to walk away and do nothing about it was the hardest part. Because not only did he slam the door in her face, he also walked away from her twice. The first time she'd run after him despite the risks and confronted him that he hated her. After dispelling that lie, he walked away again—but she stayed standing in place, not even knowing that he wasn't going to fall off the face of the planet for a few days.

If there was anything Ezra had learned in his first couple weeks of being a teacher, it was that love was tough. Especially if you weren't expecting to fall in love with that person in the first place.

…

Once he'd checked into the hotel, Ezra nonchalantly made his way to the Starbucks, re-checking the address to make sure he had the right spot. Finally he was going to meet the girl he was risking so much for and come up with a much-needed plan. The sooner they met and conversed, the sooner he could go back to Rosewood and deal with his relationship issues.

It was a chilly autumn night, and Ezra couldn't lie to himself any longer: it was good to be home. New York was where he had grown up before packing up and fleeing to Rosewood to escape his greedy, conservative family. Regardless of all the unsettling memories that existed here, the autumn nights and beautiful skyscrapers weren't one of them.

A bell chimed as he entered the Starbucks, and his red cheeks were met with warm air. Few people littered the tables since it was so late, which was good for a clandestine conversation. Glancing around the toasty room with his hopefully not too suspicious blue eyes, the red coat wasn't difficult to spot.

For a while Ezra didn't know whether to believe the news or the texts. But he could say that seeing someone thought to be dead, in the flesh, was unsettling and sent a chill down his spine.

Cautiously he approached the table, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Alison?" he asked reluctantly.

At first her back stiffened, but then she slowly turned her head around. Ezra's breath caught in his throat: it really was her. Her ocean blue eyes were unreadable and her bow-shaped lips were opened in a surprised O-shape. After the initial shock wore away, her features were replaced by relief. "You came!" she exclaimed as tears dotted her eyes.

_Whoa,_ Ezra thought. It wasn't until now that he realized just how messed-up this all really was. To see Alison alive, slightly older, and crying was just too much to handle in two minutes.

"Yeah, I came," Ezra choked out. Clearing his throat, he took a seat across from her.

"I wasn't sure you were going to!" She sniffled and clutched her steaming cup closer. Suddenly her eyes held a vast, vacant look. "I'd hurt a lot of people in my old days… I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't trust me."

"I just can't believe it," Ezra sputtered. "Everything's so insane back in Rosewood. They actually think you're dead—"

"And we're keeping it that way," she whispered in a hushed voice. "Listen, it was all part of a plan. This is going to sound crazy, but you're going to have to believe every word I say. After that we'll discuss options."

Ezra was taken aback by her alpha personality. "O-okay." With that, he planned to listen intently, but nothing could prepare him for the story he heard.

So, Alison began her story. After she returned home from Cape May, she spent the rest of the summer just hanging out with her friends, pretending like she wasn't shaken up from Board Shorts and A. The night of a sleepover, she snuck out and fought with Spencer; then she had a brawl with Garrett and Jenna; blackmailed Aria's dad, Byron; met up with a kid named Toby; and finally a guy named Ian Thomas that she liked to flirt with.

On her way back to the barn, she found Cece having a heated argument with Spencer's sister, Melissa. As Alison approached, all freaked for what was about to happen, she spotted Jason passed out in a chair a few feet away.

"Cece!" Alison had hissed, yanking Cece's arm. "What are you _doing_?"

"What do you mean, what am I doing?" Cece yelled. "Melissa's in on this, too. And you know why."

"Yeah," Alison croaked with a nervous gulp. "But he's coming soon, and you have to hide! Both of you!"

Cece rolled her eyes and nodded her head. "She's right, Melissa, we can fight more tomorrow. But first…" Cece paused and pulled the yellow top up from over her head and pulled on a red sweater Melissa handed her. "We'll put this on the body and be done with it."

In a wheelbarrow next to her was a body bag. Alison shuddered at the thought of it. "I'm not touching that," she snapped. Suddenly, a pair of car lights flashed in the front yard, and Alison's face paled. "Go!" she cried, and Cece and Melissa ran behind the woods.

A man in a dark leather jacket and jeans strode into the backyard, a smirk on his face. "If it isn't Miss Alison DiLaurentis," he purred. "Miss me?"

"Board Shorts," Alison simpered sarcastically, "the better question is…did you miss _me_?"

"I couldn't be happier to see you," he said. By this point he had taken so many steps towards her he was practically towering over her. "But we need to talk about what happened this summer."

"That was a mistake," Alison whispered as she tried not to cry. "And it was your fault anyway. And Wilden's."

"If it wasn't your fault, then why did you run away?" He sneered. "Melissa was right about you. I should have never believed you when you said you were over eighteen. And that Cece—"

"We're not here to talk about all the lies I told, okay?" Alison sighed. "Let's just talk about an understanding and move on."

A darkness took over his eyes and reminded Alison exactly why she was afraid of him: he had a violent side. She would forever regret falling for bad boys. "I have an idea." And he grabbed her throat.

Alison's hands flew to her neck as she tried to stop him, her eyes urging Cece and Melissa to stay away. "Please!" she coughed. "Stop!"

Surprisingly he let go of her and she fell to the ground in a gasping, trembling heap. "Well, Alison," he sighed as he silently pulled the shovel behind him from out of the ground, "it was nice knowing you."

A shattering pain enveloped Alison's whole body as her vision went black, and that was when she realized too late that Board Shorts had whacked her across the head. The next thing she remembered was waking up to the stench of dirt and blood, and panicking she sobbed and scratched at the ground covering her.

Above her, Cece and Melissa were again fighting about what to do. "What if she's already dead? What if people think it was us because we were here?" Melissa shrieked.

"Shut up!" Cece cried, clearly stressed. "That was not supposed to happen, okay? I thought you said he would understand!"

"I guess not!" Melissa sobbed, breaking down into tears.

Suddenly, Cece's hand shot out and grasped Melissa's wrist. Her eyes were focused solely on the covered earth. "Wait!" she exclaimed and pointed to where Alison was buried. "She's alive."

As Alison's hand struggled to free itself, Cece acted immediately and started pulling poor Alison out of the ground. "Oh my God," she gasped as soon as Alison, a bloody gash on her head, collapsed in tears in her arms. "I can't believe he did that."

"Quickly," Melissa said, less hysterical, and wiped her eyes. She ushered Cece to get off the ground and take Alison to the car. "I'll handle this. I wanted to be a med student, remember?" With that she unzipped the body bag, adorned the corpse with the yellow top, and threw it in the ground before covering it and fleeing with the bloodied shovel.

Once the story was over, Ezra couldn't believe his ears. "You were actually buried in the ground?" He was speechless; what else was there to say to a story like that?

"Yeah." Alison's eyes, once unreadable, were sad and lost. She turned around and pointed to a scar on her scalp. "They took me to the hospital in Philly under the name of Vivian Darkbloom and had me checked out before leading me into hiding in Ravenswood."

"And Spencer's sister is involved in this, too?" Ezra asked. "Why?"

"I've said enough," Alison said. It was like she had aged fifty years in front of his eyes. "That's all you need to know. As long as Board Shorts thinks I'm dead, the more we don't have to worry about him for now. This A person, though… I followed them to this small resort called the Lost Woods. I think that's where we should start."

"I'll check it out," Ezra agreed, still numb.

"So," Alison slid her finger around the rim of her empty cup. "How are my friends?"

Ezra opened his mouth to say that he had hurt Aria, but then he realized he hadn't told Alison…anything. "Jumpy, but they seem to be handling it well."

Alison smiled warmly, her eyes beaming. "Good," she said, and her voice cracked. "They deserve to at least be happy after all the hell I dragged them through."

Happy. Ezra couldn't vouch for the other girls, but Aria surely wasn't happy. "Yeah," he whispered, then touched Alison's hand gently. "But I know that despite all your mistakes, Alison…they'll welcome you home with open arms."

Her bottom lip wobbled and she bit it to try, unsuccessfully, to hold back her tears. "I'm glad," she said. "Because there's something else I have to tell you, and I hope you'll still say that afterwards."

More? Ezra wasn't sure how much _more _he could take. His mind was still spinning with questions like "Who is Board Shorts?" and thoughts about Melissa and Cece working on his side and of visiting the Lost Woods. "What?"

Alison could barely meet his comforting gaze, but she was still able to in spite of the overwhelming guilt. "I was pregnant that summer too," she confessed. "And I had the baby."


End file.
